Schools Safe Rather Than Sorry After Hugo Alert

Although heavy rains that had been predicted missed the Middle Peninsula on Friday, officials said they were glad they had erred on the side of caution by closing schools.

Gloucester schools were closed all day Friday and students in Mathews and Middlesex counties went home at noon.

Gloucester County Administrator William H. Whitley said the decision to close the schools was made at 10 p.m. Thursday when weather reports indicated that the area would be hit by severe wind and rain.

"We wanted the high school to be available to be used as an emergency shelter at any point during the day (Friday) without having to worry about working around the students," Whitley said.

Mathews Superintendent Harry M. Ward said he decided to close school early because weather reports at 6 a.m. predicted heavy rain and gusts of up to 50 mph when the storm was expected to arrive in mid-afternoon. He was concerned that flooding of roads in the low-lying southern end of the county would create problems for bus drivers.

"Forty-five-to-50 mile an hour winds with kids getting off the bus would be a mess," Ward said.

Mathews Sheriff Kenneth H. Jordan said he saw no sign of flooding when he toured the lower end of the county.